Mine fly pad



Oct. 31, 1961 l. HARGls 3,006,267

MINE FLY PAD Filed DSC. 3, 1959 A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR j@ f? fer/1r HHH 75 BY Mm ATTORNEY l. HARGIS MINE FLY PAD Oct. 3l, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 3, 1959 INVENTOR fgrfzzf Qw''ls QQ STTORNEY United States Patent O 3,906,267 IWINE FLY PAD Irvin Hargis, R0. Boa 239, Pieviie, WV. Va. Filed Dec. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 857,958 1 Claim. (Cl. Q-S) This invention relates to exible barriers and more especially to improvements in pads serving as checks or flys in mines.

In the art, the brattice may be suspended from the mine roof to deflect air currents and to direct the liow thereof to working areas for the most eiicient ventilation of one or more shafts or galleries in a mine.

The problem is unique in that efficiency in the mining operation demands both accessibility to working areas and wholly adequate ventilation thereof. The unimpeded iiow of men and materiel is quite essential to the mining function. Hinged gates and the like are cumbersome, expensive and time consuming in usage.

The principal object of the present invention therefore, is to provide an air current deflecting brattice assembly for mines and the like which is suticiently iiexibie to permit free iiow of mining traic yet without interference of air ilow and durable to withstand continued use over extended periods of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an assembly, as that recited in the principal object wherein the brattice is a dielectric comprising a plurality of overlapping curtain members adapted to depend from mine roof in substantial scalable relation thereto.

Yet another object of invention is to provide a iiexible brattice assembly wmch may be readily installed and removed within the confines of a mine.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reference to the following description and drawings, in which:

IG. l is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through one section of a mine showing an area having the improved pad assembly;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a front elevational View fragmentarily showing brattice anchor means, this View showing but one of the pad sections; and

FIG, 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and showing the multiple layer brattice cloth.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, FIG. l represents the interior oi a mine 1%0 showing a horizontal level thereof and in which the usual pillars 110 and permanent stoppage or walls 112 define respective passages and working rooms.

To promote the proper ventilation and direction of air, such as is shown by arrows in FIG. l, brattices 114 and 116 are usually employed, as shown. Working rooms are indicated at 118.

The present invention which is generally referred to by numeral 120 may be disposed most conveniently to preserve available air. The arrangement is such that overlapping pad sections of the assembly will not permit air passage therethrough. The assemblies serve as baffles, deiiecting the air around the permanent line brattices. It will be observed in FIG. l that four of the improved mine liy pad assemblies are shown in the drawings. The respective y pad assemblies may be installed between the line brattices and pillars 110 or between pillars as in the instance of assembly of FIG. 2.

In FIG/- 1, a shuttle car 209 is depicted adjacent centermost assembly 12?. This car or other traic can pass through the pad assembly by impact moving of the pad sections, just suiiiciently to permit passage of the car, without any appreciable interference with desired air fiow intended for ventilation. The trafc moves unimpeded and the air flow is substantially undisturbed.

To accomplish these functions, the assembly comprises a plurality of partially overlapping brattice members 122 each member being secured at its upper end to a suitabiy shaped anchor 140. Anchor may be made of wood or other suitable supporting structure provided it is held substantially contiguous the gallery roof. It may consist of two elements engaging opposed sides of the brattice curtain. In certain instances it may be desirable to have its longitudinal configuration of curved design to accommodate especial air current deflection and this is within the scope of invention. For instance, the anchor might be of arcuate design transverseiy to deliect arcuately. It will also be obvious that the anchor and adjacent portions of the brattice members may be coniigured to accommodate each roof of curviiinear or irregular design.

The common brattice cloth is made of duck or heavy jute material. This latter material is preferred due to its durability and iexibility even when retained in plys. An important factor in each improved member 122 is the quiiting of multiple layers 124 of jute, as shown in FIG. 4. in iirmly stitching the edge portions of this bank of cloth sheets by multiple rows of stitching 130, 132, 134 a reinforced quilting effect is obtained. This system of manufacture yields an exceptionally durable construction. The stitching is made to penetrate the member 122 from one side to the other as shown in FIG. 4. Adjacent edge portions of members 122 are arranged in overlapping relation. This is clearly shown in FIG. 2 and also in FIG. l. Thus. as will be apparent, a person or a shuttle car limitedly deforms the entire assembly to pass through. In this manner the character of the Ventilating current is maintained substantially uniform irrespective of traiiic flow.

Preferably all edges of the sections 122 are of a selvedge, especially is this important in bottom and top portions.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

I claim:

A iienible brattice member assembly for mines comprising: suspension means and at least three brattice member sections depending therefrom, vertical edge portions of respective sections depending in stepped and progressive overlapping relation to each other, each of said sections being constructed of plural layers of heavy brattice cloth, said layers of cloth being secured firmly in configured relation by multiple rows of stitching, the multiple rows of stitching for said sections being disposed on edge portions thereof, and plural stitching for said sections which is intermediate of the respective edge portions and horizontal to top and bottom of the brattice member sections, defining reinforced quilting areas within the respective sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,778,979 Lockhart Oct. 2l, 1930 2,947,239 Burgess Aug. 2, 1960 

